Before Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers played an away game against the San Diego Chargers on September 1, the quarterback didn’t sit on the bench as the national anthem reverberated throughout Qualcomm Stadium.
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Urging team owners to reprimand Kaepernick for sitting during the national anthem and speaking out against police violence, the union said failure to do so “could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities”, according to a letter obtained by NBC Bay Area.
Santa Clara police say Kaepernick’s actions and statements are “inflammatory and insulting” and the 49ers should put a stop to his campaign. During 49er games, around 70 officers volunteer to work and are paid as security personnel.
Kaepernick has been accused of being unpatriotic after he refused to stand during the national anthem as a mark of protest to hold government institutions more accountable for racism and the injustice associated with it that plagues the country.
Officers are upset about Kaepernick’s comments that officers “murder minorities” and that he wore socks during practice that depict pigs in police uniforms.
The letter also stated that “the board of directors of the Santa Clara Police Officer’s Association has a duty to protect its members and work to make all of their workings environments free of harassing behavior”.
It accused of failing to take any actions to discontinue them the 49ers.
Kaepernick on Thursday vowed to continue his demonstration, saying: “The message is that we have lots of issues in this state that we must cope with”.
While his statements incensed some of his fellow athletes, on Thursday, he was joined by teammate Eric Reid in taking a knee before the game during “The Star Spangled Banner”. “The media painted this as I’m anti-American, anti-men-and-women of the military, and that’s not the case at all”, Kaepernick told reporters after the game.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane sits as the national anthem plays before a preseason NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in California on September 1.
The protest of Kaepernick has drawn strong reactions both in support and opposition.
An online petition demanding the National Football League penalize Kaepernick brought more than 53,000 signatures by Friday.
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But military members and some veterans tweeted their support with the hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick for Kaepernick.
